Roundtable: Esteban Vicente - The Spanish Abstract Expressionist

A conversation with co-curator Eren Johnson, Met conservator Marina Ruiz Molina and artist Susan Crile, moderated by writer Elizabeth Frank

What did reality mean to an abstract painter? This roundtable explores Esteban Vicente's artistic vision, his approach to color, form and composition, and his contribution to 20th-century art. Bringing together perspectives from art history, conservation and artistic practice, the conversation will also examine his paintings and collages and his connections with New York's postwar art scene.

The discussion will feature Eren Johnson, co-curator of Esteban Vicente: The Painter of Reality; Marina Ruiz Molina, conservator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and an expert on Vicente's collages; and Susan Crile, painter and printmaker. It will be moderated by writer Elizabeth Frank.

Esteban Vicente: The Painter of Reality, curated by Eren Johnson and Ana Doldán, is on view at the Instituto Cervantes in New York from October 2, 2026, to January 9, 2027, and is presented in collaboration with the Harriet and Esteban Vicente Foundation and the Museum of Contemporary Art Esteban Vicente, in Segovia.

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About Esteban Vicente

Born in Turégano, Spain, in 1903, Esteban Vicente (1903-2001) was one of the few Spanish artists to become an integral part of the American Abstract Expressionist movement.

After spending time in Paris and London, Vicente moved to the United States in 1936, where he remained for the rest of his life. He became closely associated with the leading artists, critics and galleries of New York's postwar art scene, establishing himself as an important figure in American Abstract Expressionism.

His paintings and collages reflect a lifelong exploration of color, light, form and structure, combining his European artistic background with the experimental spirit of the New York School. His work occupies a distinctive place in both American and Spanish contemporary art.